Harassment Suit Filed

January 21, 1998|STAFF REPORTS

A former employee of the Palm Beach County Jail filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the jail's former director on Tuesday, claiming he made unwanted sexual advances and that she was demoted after complaining.

Theresa Hanchett, who began working at the jail in 1989, said that Colonel Steven Lasley made unwanted sexual advances toward her, including touching her and writing explicit sexual comments in her calendar, according to the suit.

Lasley also wrote inappropriate memos ``intended to belittle'' her, the suit said.

Hanchett also sued the Sheriff's Office, claiming it failed to do anything about it when she reported the harassment, according to the lawsuit filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court.

When she complained about Lasley to her superiors, Hanchett said she was transferred to another department, resulting in a loss of ``seniority, rank and income,'' the lawsuit stated.

Lasley resigned in November after 20 years of service when Sheriff Bob Neumann defeated incumbent Charles McCutcheon.